The entertainment icon, who passed away last week at age 82, lived in Malibu for more than 40 years and volunteered his time and money to a host of different causes.
By Ed Kamen / Special to The Malibu Times
For more than five decades, the face that greeted and entertained American TV viewers never seemed to change. For one generation, it was the hip, yet parental face of “American Bandstand.” For another, it was that of the consummate, unrivaled game-show host on “The $25,000 Pyramid.” Still, for most of us, his was the face that launched the new year in the staid, post-Guy Lombardo era with a celebration filled with pop music and its heavyweights.
Yet, Dick Clark, who passed away last week at the age of 82, had another face that few people ever saw—that of philanthropist.
Behind the ever-youthful looks, Clark was not only a leader in the music and entertainment industries, but equally was involved in charity work. With the help of his wife of 35 years, Kari Wigton Clark, his dedication to charitable organizations carried just as much influence, especially in Malibu, his home of more than 40 years.
At Gull’s Way Estate, a 12-acre property in Malibu that Clark purchased in 2002, the Clarks have hosted the annual fund-raiser for the California Wildlife Center (CWC) for the past five years, drawing more than 600 people annually.
“They have been incredibly generous,” said Victoria Harris, the organization’s board president, said. The CWC’s main duty, since its inception in 1998, is the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife, supported by state-of-the-art animal care and rehabilitation facilities in the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu.
“It’s one of the best events in Malibu every year,’ she said.
With Clark’s help, the organization has continued to grow and has saved countless animal lives.
“The fund-raiser accounts for one-third of our operating funds every year just from that event,’ Harris said. “It’s always a big, huge hit.”
In a written statement for The Malibu Times from Clark’s longtime publicist, Paul Shefrin, Kari Clark that the couple always looked forward to the event and she hopes it continues. Gull’s Way is also a highly sought location for weddings and other special events, year-round. It is one of three properties Clark owned in Malibu.
After Clark was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1994, he became a spokesman for public awareness in 2004, in a campaign sponsored by the American Association of Diabetes Educators and Merck & Co., the pharmaceutical company.
Clark also served as the honorary chair of the Chicago-area Les Turner ALS Foundation, the nation’s largest independent ALS organization, which over the years has raised $50 million to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The Clarks were also longtime supporters of the National Parkinson’s Foundation, and gave generously to the Malibu Urgent Care clinic.
Clark was not only involved in wildlife preservation, but was also a champion for dog lovers everywhere. In an article in The Pet Press in 2001, Clark said that among his five dogs, two of them were rescued strays. “One of the things that I’ve learned from animals, and everybody who’s been in their company, is that they just return your love and they don’t ask for a lot. And that’s probably something we can learn as human beings,” Clark said at the time.
Clark’s connection to Malibu extended beyond his celebrity status. Since settling in the area in the early ’70s, he has owned numerous properties, including the famous “Flintstone House” Clark lived in until it was put up for sale earlier this year. Modeled after the TV cartoon home of Fred and Wilma, the cave-like design, bluff-top setting and 360-degree ocean and mountain views made it one-of-a-kind. Just like the man himself. “Once Dick settled in Malibu, he knew there was nowhere else in the world he would rather live,” Kari, said in the written statement to The Malibu Times.
Claudio Borin, whose restaurant The Sage Room at 28915 Pacific Coast Highway was a regular stop for the Clarks, said Clark was always in an upbeat mood, always joking.
“He was a happy, lovely kind of guy,” Borin said. “He was always very polite and his wife is fantastic. I will miss him.”